Biden taps Tom Nides, an Obama administration official, to be ambassador to Israel

• Author: Ron Kampeas
• Published date: 26 May 2021
• Publication title: Israel National News (Israel)

Multiple sources close to the Biden administration confirmed to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Nides was the pick for ambassador and would be announced soon. The White House said it had nothing yet to announce.

It was down to Nides and Robert Wexler, a former Florida congressman who for years has helmed the Center for Middle East Peace, a group that advocates backchannel diplomacy between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

A number of centrist and liberal pro-Israel figures were pushing Wexler, believing he had the deeper experience because of his ties and frequent visits to the region.

Both Nides and Wexler are Jewish.

Nides, a banker, was the deputy secretary of state for management and resources from 2011 to 2013 and had good relations with Israeli diplomats, although he was less involved in substantive diplomacy.

Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador in his book "Ally" chronicling his ambassadorship, described Nides as...